Watching Abstraction in Hollywood: The Work of Pat O’Neill
Since the early 1960s, experimental filmmaker and optical effects artist Pat O’Neill has created a varied body of work with a unique artistic perspective. O’Neill expanded the boundaries of avant garde film by combining found footage, abstract materials and his own cinematography. His work made extensive use of the optical printer, time lapse, motion control, and other techniques to interweave those materials into montages of unusual complexity.
O’Neill’s work as both an artist and a filmmaker was on display in the foyer of the Linwood Dunn Theater through May 22. Excerpts from a selection of his film shorts were available for viewing, as well as artwork related to his films. The display spanned several decades of his work and illustrates the technical processes he has used throughout his professional career, notably his layering work using the optical printer.
Images courtesy of Pat O’Neill.
Related Event
Optical Architect: An Evening with Pat O'Neill
An onstage conversation with experimental filmmaker and optical effects artist Pat O'Neill, followed by the premiere of a newly preserved print of his first 33mm feature, "Water and Power" (1989).
